Champasak…the temple where induism, buddhism and dreams go arm in arm
Each morning, as the first sunbeam rises, the engine driver, after the captain has stricken the order with a sole straight glance, turns on the engines of Vat Phou. The last day of going up the river waits for us, towards Pakse, where we will arrive in the afternoon. However, this last day is particular; first of all we ought to visit the grand templar complex of Champasak. On the hills south of Pakse lies this ancient city, more than once rebuilt and nowadays modern, but sited in periphery, right under the mountains that overlook it, hosting this fabulous site where in the 1200 d.C. local populations built an array of temples in Hindu style The site was chosen because at half coast in the mountain a source springs of such fresh and crystal clear water that could not come anywhere but from the Gods.
In the following centuries the site was retaken by monks and Buddhists and nowadays is considered one of the most important pilgrimage sites of the nation, mostly in February, when at the age of full moon, Theravada believers, the most important Buddhist current in Laos, arrive in order to organize an entire week of feast among prayers and music. But in order to reach the source the path ahead of our eye is a real ritual, more than a “via crucis”, but less than a trekking.
In the clearing at the feet of the mountain lie two enormous ponds, pointed with lotus flowers, where we can bathe and purify ourselves before going up the mountain. In the middle of the two smooth waters the entrance road streams straight, circumscribed by milestones sculptured as a homage to Hindu symbols of male and female sexes. Under the feet the pavement is the original one and in the end of the walk noses up on the first terrace. Here you find the first two great temples, by this time ruined and unfortunately too late protected by Italian and Japanese cooperation.
Continuing along the walk you reach the base of the mountain where the road noses up in a steep staircase carved in the rock leading to the temple under the source. Shadowed by a thick vegetal covering and under the sheer rock wall rests this jewel of little temple, with square arched doors richly decorated with Brama, Visn? and Shiva. In a game of perspectives it is possible to have a glance through the doors and catch sight of the central hall where a beautiful statue of Buddha is installed. It is covered with long orange drapes, half buried under the votive offers, rice bowls, incense sticks, bananas’ leaves bundles, flowers and candles. The vision is sublime, breathtaking and maybe this is the reason why one feels like throwing oneself into the pure water source springing from the rock behind the temple.
A path winds in the surrounding area and leads to a place where, in time, several sculptors have carved the rock in order to dedicate it to the myth of crocodile, humming bird and elephant. Watching the underlying valley the view is breathtaking, the green of rice fields is mixed to the forest one, the smooth waters reflect the sun towards the sky mixing it to the mist, the landscape is composed by stretches of clearness mixed with nebulous spots which rather than a view look like a dream. From up there the Mekong look like a shining snake sliding inside a carpet and watching carefully, with closed eyes, you can see the boat Vat Phou waiting for us in order to guide us to another place, another non-place, which will not be stored in real memories but dreaming ones.
Kindly Traslated by “Alessandra Angius”
Day 1 – Day 2 – Day 3 – Day 4 – Day 5 – Day 6 – Day 7
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This trip is the 3rd Prize of the Mynatour Contest. Mario has been voted the 3rd winner of the last Mynatour Ecotourism Contest sponsored by Teamworkz – Laos part of whl.travel.
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